Breakout
by Mizuno-Suzuka
Summary: All Crysanthemum wanted was some peace and quiet post-Draenor. However the darkening skies and the doom in the air has forced the hands of all sides, knowing that soon, the Legion would be coming for their world. WARNING: Legion spoilers are contained within, be cautious! Rated T until content changes ;)
1. Breaking Free

Hello My Dear readers! Here is another story, intended to be short, but maybe, depending on reception, it will slowly bloom into a larger story later. I hope you all enjoy this, and as always, World of Warcraft belongs to Blizzard, the characters depicted in this story are merely characters created in that world. Enjoy!

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"We need your assistance, Crysanthemum." The Goblin in question sighed, wishing for once that her attempt at subtlety wasn't completely a waste of time as she sat in a rundown pub near the rear gate of Orgrimmar. Her hood was pulled over her head, covering her purple locks, and she sat face away from the entrance, in an attempt to get some peace and quiet. The mug of ale sat in front of her, untouched. No different than usual. It was merely a prop. She had no real need to drink alcohol.

"What could it be this time?" She asked, drawing back her hood, revealing a shock of purple hair, braided and pulled into a bun, curls framing her face. Her eyes glowed an eerie blue color, the essense of frost seemingly contained within them. Her eyes bore dark shadows, an indicator of her sleeplessness and her cheeks were hollow.

"The Warchief asked for you specifically, Death Knight." The larger Orc guard said, his gruff voice thick with annoyance. Crysanthemum had the inclination it was probably her fault, but she found it incredible hard to care. She hopped off of her chair, and shoved her way through the two bulky grunts, out into the open air.

"Did he say what he needed?" She asked once they were a ways away from the pub. She eyed the two grunts with irritation.

"He didn't tell us anything, except that it was urgent, and that you were probably skulking somewhere." The other Orc, Pol, said, smirking at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, guess I can't keep the Warchief waiting." Crysanthemum said in exsasperation. She quickly moved away from the two grunts, walking briskly towards the Warchief's tower. She had just gotten back from Draenor, and all she wanted was some peace. Gul'dan was defeated, as was Mannoroth and Archimonde. There was nothing really left there for her, other than her garrison, but she left it in the capable hands of one of her followers, promising nothing except to visit.

There was an unusual lull in activity in the Warchief's tower. Usually it was bustling with activity. But when Crysanthemum arrived, there was practically no noise coming from the building and two grunts stood on either side of the entrance, decidedly awkwardly. Both allowed Crysanthemum to pass however, and she entered into a nearly empty antechamber. Voljin stood, pondering over a table with a large map spread across it, weights and little pawns placed all over it in seemingly random spots.

At first, Voljin did not acknowledge Crysanthemum's presence. He seemed to be deep in though, studying something Crysanthemum quite frankly would have to stand on a stool to see. So much for being a menacing Death Knight.

"I know ya be wonderin' why I pull'd ya outta seclusion." Voljin said, finally looking at Crysanthemum. "I know we been askin' a lot of you. But your skillset is… formidable." Crysanthemum cringed at that. She knew her track record for mission completion was stellar… if not nothing for the damage she'd done while under the Lich King's grasp.

"I'll get right to da point." He said, stepping away from the command table and sitting on his chieftain seat. "Da Legion is comin. We don't have time to prepare like I woulda hoped we did." He massaged his brow and Crysanthemum felt her metaphorical heart sink when she heard the word "Legion".

"How long?" Crysanthemum asked, calculating how long she had to warn her family.

"It already begun." Voljin said simply. "They just be bidin' they time. But… We… leaders, 'ave come to a solution dat could benefit not only da Horde, but the Alliance as well." Crysanthemum's ears twitched at this. Unsure of how to respond, she decided to wait until the Warchief had told her everything.

"I'm sendin' ya to help break into the Warden's Vault and free da Blood Elven Demon Hunters before dem Demon's get there." He continued, picking at some chipped paint on his tusk. "Da Warden's already be aware somethin' amiss. They're not gonna be time to explain and get the proper documents and all dat nonsense. I need our people out now." He looked into Crysanthemum's piercing blue eyes, and nodded his head.

"Can you do that?" He asked her, gauging her response. She kicked a small rock at her feet. If it truly was the Legion finally rearing its ugly head, then there was no way she could justify saying no. But Demon Hunters…. That was a business she wasn't sure she wanted to invest in.

There wasn't a lot to know about them. They were extremists against the Legion, and, at one time, followed Illidan Stormrage, the first ever Demon Hunter, known for sacrificing lives to save Azeroth. Innocent, faithful and loyal, lives. She'd heard rumors about him sucking out the life-force and essence to fuel his arcane abilities to stop demons from corrupting Azeroth, and being ostracized and locked away after his defeat at the Black Temple.

If his followers were anything like him, they would be almost as much a threat as a help to the threat that the Legion posed. But the Warchief was awaiting an answer, and it wouldn't do to make him wait.

"It will be as you have asked, Warchief." Crysanthemum replied, bowing her head slightly. Voljin looked at her in amusement as she awkwardly stood in front of the war table. "Is there anything else?"

"I'm glad ya asked…."

-**\\\\\/**-

Crysanthemum waited at a neutral standby point in the southern-most shore of the Howling Fjord on Northrend, the familiar breeze of ice cold wind and dead silence stirring memories she would have rather put into a vault for safekeeping. The cold wind did not cause her skin to rise in goosebumps, the sensation instead welcoming and familiar, a reminder that she did not belong to the coarse sun and dry air of Orgrimmar or the dense foliage and color of Strangelthorn. No. This dead land was closer to her home than any other. A cloak of familiarity and lonliness.

"I see you still feel the homey sensation of the cold." A teasing voice called out gently into the air. Crysanthemum allowed a small smile to grace her features as her former partner, Eileria, stepped into view. Aeleria's dark pallor made her appear even more tired and… dead, looking than usual, the shadows beneath her eyes as deep as Crysanthemum's. Her curled horns had tangles of her curly hair, longer than the last time Crysanthemum had seen her, wrapped around them, and her armor was custom, a contrasting green to her mauve skin. Her dark cloak was flowing in the wind, and her icy eyes were the only true indication of her undeath, their icy blue seemingly gaseous in Northrend's evening light.

"As it ever is, sister." she replied, grasping her arm in friendly greeting. "Have you been well?"

"I have." She replied, taking a seat next to her on the soft snow. "The Alliance has been kind. My people have yet to fully accept my loss of the light, but they accept me for myself, and for now, this is enough."

The two sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the blood red sun set against the horizon that overlooked the dead ocean water, still even for Northrend.

"When my Warchief told me to meet you here…" Crysanthemum said, breaking the silence. "I was surprised. Have you secretly been in contact with the Horde?" Aeleria looked at her in surprise, her curls bouncing as her head shifted.

"Why… no, I thought it was the other way around!" She admitted sheepishly. Crysanthemum looked away in surprise, now unsure of what exactly she had truly been sent to do.

"Fear not Death Knights… It was I who arranged this meeting." Both Frost follower's jumped up and, weapons drawn, scanned the area for the sudden voice that had appeared without notice. A glint of light was seen and suddenly a tall armored female stood before them, her ears betraying her as a Night Elf. A Warden, no less.

So that was the plan. They weren't going to break into the Vault to free these Demon Hunters. They were going to be let in. It made sense, really, the Warchief's discretion. It would be bad politics for anyone of the Horde to be seen working with the Alliance so closely. This location was perfect for such meetings too. Crysanthemum sheathed her swords and resumed a cautious stance, while Aeleria placed her Claymore into the ground.

"Speak, Warden." Aeleria said warily. "I trust my king, but your line of work is… shady, at best." The warden bowed slightly in acknowledgement.

"These are dark times, and trust will be even harder to come by in the future." The warden replied, retrieving a scroll from her large cloak. She bent down in the snow and set the blank rolled out parchment onto the snow, letting it settle. Suddenly, reacting to the cold of the snow, it began to draw out a map, multilayered and detailed. Aeleria and Crysanthemum drew closer to it in curiousity, unable to draw their eyes from the details and shapes flowing across the once blank parchment.

"This is a map of the Layout of the Warden's Vault." The mysterious Warden said, tracing the lines delicately. "The Demon Hunter's you'll want to free will be located all here on this level." She pointed to the map, a circular section outlined with thousands of cells. "The Night Elven Demon hunters will be located on the south side, the Blood Elven, the North. The Warden's will not willingly give you the keys, so you will have to find a way to get them."

"Why are you having us break into your prison to free these people?" Crysanthemum asked hesitantly. "Why not just break them free yourself? We're not exactly hired mercenaries. What story did you feed our faction leaders to make them agree to this?" Both Aeleria and Crysanthemum stared at the Warden, awaiting an explanation.

"I have received word… rumor, perhaps, that the Warden's vault will be one of the first targets of the Legion's advances." The Warden replied swiftly, not seeming to be bothered by the distrust the Death Knights were showing her. "The Legion is very aware of one strong fact. Their numbers are great, infinite if you will. But the Demon Hunters are a threat to their existence."

"They consume the powers of a Demon and gouge out their eyes to attain spectral sight, and can see Demons where others cannot." She continued. "They may not have the numbers that the Legion has, but sharing the knowledge they DO have would be devastating for a Legion invasion." The warden stood and produced another scroll from her cloak, laying it down on the ground beside the map. This paper showed a diagram of the cells depicted in the original document.

"If the Legion is allowed to ransack the cells and kill the Demon Hunter's while in stasis, our advantage will be lost." The warden continued. "These cells place the occupant into a deep sleep like state. Infinite is the time they can last. The keys are the only way to open the cell. Any tampering with the lock will cause the cell to liquidate, so it would be in Azeroth's best interest NOT to try anything other than unlocking them with the appropriate tools."

"You still have not answered our question about your intentions, Warden." Aeleria said, her icy eyes boring into the depthless ones of the Warden. "Why not do this yourself?"

A sigh was heard beneath the mysterious helm. The warden reached up and carefully removed it, revealing a slick scar straight across her face, and a blind eye.

"I have already been punished for defying the Warden code once." She said, placing a hand over her scar. "There will not be leniency for a second betrayal. The Wardens are stubborn. We only submit to great force. I myself do not have the power to take on my brethren. However… Your reputation's precede you. This is for the survival of Azeroth. I have nothing to hide. But we cannot sit here and discuss honor and trust while the Legion begins their assault."

Neither Aeleria nor Crysanthemum could argue with this point. They stood, securing their weapons and cloaks.

"Very well Warden." Crysanthemum said, lifting the pieces of paper from the ground. "Lead the way. We will free our… comrades from their cells. Hopefully, for your sake, they have not been warped by Illidan's ideology." The Warden nodded and gestured that they follow her to the water.

A small boat was present, floating ominously and eerily, attached to the land by a stake and rope. The warden gestured for them to step in, and followed after, removing the rope and starting the gnomeish engine that thrummed with life as a low hum. Crysanthemum muttered under her breath about how quiet it was, and Aeleria valiantly tried to stifle her laughter.

The water was dense and seemingly endless as they headed to some unknown destination. Conversation was not on anyone's priority list, and as such the journey was silent, save for the soft thrum of the engine and the cold brisk wind.

After what Crysanthemum could guess had been about three hours' time, a structure could be seen in the distance. It was large, Crysanthemum could tell that much, and it seemed to have many peaks and stories. But something also seemed… off. Crysanthemum could see a faintly green glow near the surface of the water towards the structure, glowing more vibrant and getting larger the closer they came to the structure.

"Oh no…" The Warden cursed under her breath, setting the engine speed to the highest setting, sending them reeling as the boat thrusted forward. "They've found the vaults."

Sure enough, as they drew closer, it was glaringly apparent that Demon's had arrived there. The island shore was littered with fel energy, Footprints larger than Crysanthemum's whole body left craters in the soft earth, and the smell of sulfur was heavy in the air.

"We must waste no time, champions." The Warden called, abandoning the ship to run towards the entrance of the Vault, which had been pried open and hung loosely on its hinges. "Find the keys, free all that you can. Their weapons are a floor beneath them. If there are too many demons, don't allow the demon hunters to search for their weapons. Just get them out of the building."

Without allowing them to reply the Warden ran ahead, her weapon heaved over her shoulder as she rounded the corner.

"Well Aeleria, I suppose this is goodbye for a while." Crysanthemum said, turning to her Draenei friend. "I was glad to see you well. Perhaps… this war against the Legion will allow us to fight side by side again. As we have before." Aeleria smiled and grasped Crysanthemum's arm

"Indeed we shall, sister." Aeleria affirmed. She then pulled her sword from its sheath, and with a small wave, made her way through the south corridor. Crysanthemum gripped her swords and made her way quietly through the north corridor. The halls were dark, whatever illumination there had been was gone, but Crysanthemum did not need light to find her way down the hall. However only a minute after traveling down the dark hall, she nearly tripped on a crumpled corpse of a warden. Crysanthemum knelt down and turned the top half of the corpse on her front, and rummaged around the cloak looking for anything that could be a key.

She found a smooth ruby square that had indentations on it, on a key ring, hidden beneath the plated armor that the Warden had worn. Crysanthemum pocketed it, and quickly made her way down the hall, listening intently for any signs of demon activity.

Her way seemed to be mostly clear however, and it seemed like most of the demons had already passed through. The stone in her pocket grew hot suddenly, and she reached into her pocket and pulled it out. It glowed brightly and seemed to thrum with an unusual energy. Taking it as a cue that she was close to her destination, she began to slowly walk with it outstretched, and sure enough, it became warmer and thrummed louder as she walked further north.

Suddenly, the stone became white hot and Crysanthemum dropped it in surprise. She had felt it through her plated gloves. She watched the stone glow curiously, and then knelt down to pick up the key ring. She looked to her right and saw nothing but a blank stretch of wall. Curious, she held up the stone to the wall, and as if it were a magnet, it pulled itself to the wall, setting the death knight off balance. A bright light stretched across the wall in spider like veins, and slowly, like a portal, an entrance began to emerge from the bare wall. Crysanthemum cautiously stepped into the portal, grabbing the stone on her way in, closing the portal behind her.

The darkness was literally suffocating when the portal closed. Crysanthemum could not make out anything and for a moment, stood still, overwhelmed by the silence.

Gathering her senses, she reached into her scabbard and pulled a match out, lighting it and slowly rotating around the room.

At first the darkness seemed to just consume the flame, but soon she came across an outline on the wall that looked like an unlit torch. She set the match atop it and the fire spread, lighting the entire hall.

She found herself staring at a large green crystalline prison, inside, a still blood elf, her dark hair matted against her face, a stretch of cloth covering her eyes. Red tribal markings were strewn across her limbs and chest, and her skin seemed… rough.

Crysanthemum took the ruby key and touched it to the small obsidian obelisk that sat outside the green crystal, and it glowed brightly. Crysanthemum took a step back and watched as the crystal slowly melted away, revealing the scaly skin of the demon hunter as she was slowly released from her stasis.

The blood elf fell forward and Crysanthemum quickly grabbed the waifly girl, and set her down on the floor.

"…W-Who are you?" The blood elf stuttered, looking straight at her, despite her eyes being covered.

"No real time for that." Crysanthemum stated, grabbing the ruby key off the pedestal. "I need your help. Are you coherent?"

"Er… yes." She replied, standing warily. "What do you need from me?"

"I need your help freeing all of your comrades." Crysanthemum said stoicly. "Find a key like this, and free as many as you can. The Legion has come to Azeroth. There is no time to lose."

The blood elf seemed to steel herself quickly after hearing this, and quickly ran down the hall, disappearing into the darkness without question. Crysanthemum turned and quickly ran to the next cell, repeating her previous actions and releasing another blood elf demon hunter, directing him to retrieve his weapons from the floor below, and then to escape the area as quickly as possible, or go to the mid-level to assist in knocking the Legion out.

Most of the elves she freed seemed confused and distrustful, but nevertheless thankful when she released them from their bonds, and she saw the female blood elf she'd first freed make her way down the hall back towards her.

"The Demons are coming closer to patrol this floor again." She said, her tone rushing. "They can sense even partial demon presences. They will know we are here, now that we have been removed from stasis." Crysanthemum thought for a moment, and then turned back to the blood elf.

"Listen carefully. It is imperative that we free as many demon hunters as possible." She said. "If you encounter a demon, kill it, and get out. Save yourself and get to safety. Get your comrades to safety. Don't stay here and try to be heroes." Crysanthemum smiled whistfully. "There will be time for that another day. Now go!" The blood elf nodded hesitantly, saluting the goblin, before again running in the opposite direction, her warglaives held out before her like shields. Crysanthemum turned back to the task at hand.

She'd freed close to a hundred demon hunters when an explosion was heard towards where she had entered the hall initially. Crysanthemum looked to see her blood elf compatriot had managed to free all but one up to this point. The last cell looked different from the others, larger, and the blood elf encased in it was built. Menacing almost, but without the texture of a demon. His horns wrapped around his ears and his blindfold was dark and taut against his eyes. The tattoo's on his body, despite being a similar color to the crystal, were still clear and visable against his tanned skin and muscles. Crysanthemum found herself curious if he'd been important in his past.

Hearing the growls and low whispers of demonic tongue, she quickly shoved the key into the opening and slammed it down. The crystal began to melt away and Crysanthemum watched the Demon hunter slowly be freed from his prison.

"Blood elf, are you coherent?" Crysanthemum asked, her tone insistent. "We don't have time for you to recover. The demons are here."

The demon hunter's attention snapped immediately to her right, where the whispers and growls grew louder, and he slowly stood, towering over her.

"Where are my weapons?" His low voice growled, an almost demonic tone to it. Crysanthemum just looked at him blankly.

"No time to grab those I'm afraid." Crysanthemum said, tugging on his hand. "We need to go now. The Demon's will kill us if we don't evacuate." The blood elf did not budge however, and merely looked to the left.

"Fine then." He replied, his muscles tensing and then rippling as he made off at a run down the hall, dragging the goblin Death Knight behind him. "I'll kill this group with my bare hands."

It was immediately apparent why this particular Demon Hunter had been in a larger cell. His movements in of themselves were lethal. He moved swiftly, easily breaking the imps over his knee clean in half and twisting the necks of the felguards that advanced our way as if they were made of dough. The dozen demon's that had been advancing on us were dead within seconds, all at the bare hands of this Demon Hunter, before I could even draw my swords.

He bent down at one of the felguards and reached his hand through its chest, pulling out its heart and eating it. His tattoos glowed eerily as he consumed it, and Crysanthemum felt the demon energy transfer from the felguards to this mysterious Demon hunter.

"Now, if you'd be so kind as to point me in the direction of my belongings…" He trailed off, gesturing towards Crysanthemum.

"Who are you?" Crysanthemum coughed into her hand and strode past the Demon hunter towards the staircase to the bottom floor.

"Crysanthemum. Now hurry up. We get your weapons and then we leave. I'm not interested in staying much longer." The demon hunter nodded and followed Crysanthemum down the stairwell, leading into a large room adorned with brackets that once held hundreds of weapons. The blood elf scanned the room and swiftly walked towards the back, retrieving a glowing set of warglaives, the steel sleek and looking new.

"Happy now?" Crysanthemum asked, disgruntled. The Demon hunter chuckled, flexing his arms with the glaives.

"Why yes, yes I am." He replied in mirth. "Lead the way little flower." Crysanthemum rolled her eyes at the nickname. Her parents would name her after a plant. She quickly made her way up the staircase and ran straight into the chest of a felguard.

Crysanthemum quickly sliced her sword into its chest and used the leverage to catapult herself over the demon while it roared in rage. She then drove her other sword into its neck, yanking on it and slicing it's head clear off its shoulders.

"Very nice. Perhaps you'd like to eat its heart?" The demon hunter mused, pulling out Crysanthemum's blade and tossing it to her. "You're more savage than I would have thought, what with your clean plated dress." He looked her up and down and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you anyway? A shadow Paladin? Is that even a thing?" He crossed his arms. "You're most certainly no warrior. Far too graceful and no rage. Just pure calculated killing." Crysanthemum sighed in exasperation and continued walking towards the exit, having a feeling there would be more demons nearby.

"It's rude in most cultures not to answer a question that is politely asked." The Demon Hunter said, laughter the undertone of his voice. "I'm merely curious. What is it that you call your class?"

Crysanthemum stopped dead and removed her helm, turning back to face the taunting face of the demon hunter.

"I'm a Death Knight." She replied, her cold blue eyes piercing. "I was once a Paladin. But that was in the past. As will we be, if we don't hurry up and get out of here."

Crysanthemum placed her helm back on and quickly ran past the hallway, hearing the scraping of weapons and growls and shouts of a great battle being fought near their exit.

"Looks like we won't slip out unnoticed." The demon hunter causually announced. "I'm fine with fighting my way out. Been a while since I've been able to really fight." Crysanthemum did not argue, and immediately engaged the nearest demon, an Infernal, and began to slice at it, infecting it with her frost fever.

Taking a look at the room, Crysanthemum noticed corpses of demons and demon hunters alike, as well as some warden, littered the floor. The demon's seemed endless, crawling in from the ceiling and marching in from the front entrance infinitely. Though the Demon Hunters seemed to easily carve through several at a time, frustrating the demons and causing a large roar to be heard from outside the vaults.

"Looks like they've called their general!" A Warden shouted, slicing through a wave of felhouds. "We need to get to higher ground!"

"FOOLS. MORTAL SCUM." A demonic voice bellowed deeply, reverberating throughout the hall. "THE LEGION IS ENDLESS. DID YOU REALLY THINK FREEING THESE ELVES WOULD HELP YOU SAVE THIS WORLD?" Crysanthemum gritted her teeth and quickly blocked an attack from a felguard.

"Evil just does not get it." Aeleria cut in, slicing the demon clear in half and standing back to back with Crysanthemum. "We will not fall to the Legion, we will all fight to the death." Crysanthemum nodded to her friend and quickly ran to the front entrance. Typically, killing the general forced a retreat of the forces of the Legion, at least temporarily. If they could kill it, they could buy the Wardens and remaining Demon Hunters time to escape and regroup on Dalaran. Aeleria, Crysanthemum, the Warden that had asked them to come and the last Demon Hunter Crysanthemum had freed, all ran towards the massive goliath Pit Lord.

"OH?" He roared, his rotten mouth leering down at them. "YOU COME TO FACE ME HEAD ON? SUCH BRAVERY! SUCH IGNORANCE. I SHALL PRESENT YOUR BODIES TO SARGERAS AS AN OFFERING!" The Pit Lord swung his axe down with such force that Crysanthemum found it hard to dodge effectively. Not to mention her plated robe was weighing her down just enough to hinder her dodge.

However the Demon Hunter that had accompanied them seemed to have no trouble keeping pace with the oversized demon, easily parrying and seemingly reading the monstrosities mind, dodging as if it were a dance. His glaives sliced into the hard scaled flesh of the demon, causing it to seeth in anger and agony, its swings becoming more frenzied. Crysanthemum dove around the backside of the creature, striking its skin with her blade, releasing her frost plague deep into it's skin. At first, it appeared that it had done nothing. Then, a glowing white aura formed, slowly expanding around its hind quarters, cracking like ice in water.

The Demon Hunter, previously occupied with his game of keeping the monster's attention, instead focused his glaives into the slowly cracking skin that Crysanthemum had exposed, causing it to split, effectively cleaving off a large chunk of the creature's hind leg.

The demon screeched, and Crysanthemum covered her ears, not recalling such a wretched sound ever to grace her ears. Despite years within scourge confines, nothing seemed to compare to the agonized war cry the demon sung. In her distraction, she was slammed into a nearby boulder by the creature in question's tail, knocking her weapons a few feet away.

"Crysanthemum, look out!" Aeleria called, parrying the giant weapon of the demon.

Crysanthemum saw the spiked tail coming for her again, and quickly rolled out of the way, only taking a moment to glance behind her to see the disintigrated boulder where she once stood, before scooping up her weapons and charging back at the demon with a refreshed rune set, ready to unleash the full fury of her frost magic.

This time feeling bolder, Crysanthemum ducked beneath the creature, a space she hardly fit beneath, and thrusted both rune weapons into its underbelly, releasing the icy touch of death and holding them there while the creature bucked and wailed, attempting anything to remove her from its underside.

"Don't stop now, little flower!" The Demon Hunter said, jumping high into the sky. "His resolve is weakening. Let us show his little army what will happen to them after we're done with him."

A bright green light blinded Crysanthemum for a moment, once able to focus, she realized that the Demon Hunter in question was shooting literal lasers from his eyes. Green fel engery. Realizing this would be the distraction needed to take down the beast, she quickly slicked a hole into its underbelly, willing her frost plague to spread to its internal organs. She could feel the slow progress through the veins and sinew as it spread, freezing everything in its path, cracking from the pressure of the creature's movement.

Once she felt a tremor, indicating that the cracks had merged to create a large rift inside the creature, she quickly tumbled out from beneath it, jogging over to where Aeleria was marking the ground with runes, preparing to finish the creature off.

"Over here!" She called, standing and waving at the Demon Hunter. "Bring it here!"

The Demon Hunter nodded and charged towards the Draenei, leading the blinded and disoriented demon, roaring, right at the rune circle. Once inside, Aeleria released a massive influx of frost energy, her weapon glowing a bright white.

"Begone abomination!" She cried out, slamming her dual handed blade into the creatures cranium.

The Pit Lord gurgled, squealing and roaring and stumbling, its body frozen and broken. with a great roar and groan, it slowly descended to the ground, the light fading from its damaged eyes.

"This... is only... the...start..." The demon said, before expiring, the light fading from its eyes.

The Demon Hunter walked up to the Demon and kicked the head, observing it, expecting it to have feigned death. After a few moments, he went to collect the heart, apparently satisfied that the creature was indeed dead. While he did this, Crysanthemum began to head for the entrance of the Vaults, but Aeleria held her shoulder in place.

"The demon's have fled the vault's for now." Aeleria remarked, re-sheathing her weapon. "We need not assist cleanup. That is not what we were asked to do." Crysanthemum nodded in agreement, turning instead to her Demon Hunter companion, who had finished his ritual with the heart, and was now flexing his arms in a show of power.

"You, Demon Hunter." Crysanthemum said, her bright blue eyes focused on the blindfolded man. "We should be on the move. If you've had your fun, that is."

The Demon Hunter chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine, is your Draenei lover going with us to... wherever it is we're going?"

Crysanthemum and Aeleria looked at one another, shock on their faces before turning back to the Blood elf.

"Aeleria is not my lover." Crysanthemum sputtered, finding it hard to stay composed. "Neither in life or unlife have I ever had a female... consort." Aeleria's expression was pure disgust.

"No offense to my small companion, but I also am not attracted to the female anatomy." The Draenei explained. "Your assumption was quite... unwarranted." The Demon Hunter just laughed, his tattoos gleaming in the dark.

"Very well then. No need to get defensive. Just thought I'd ask." Crysanthemum found herself wanting to jam her sword somewhere unkind, and had to resist the urge to reach for her blade. The Demon Hunter merely smirked and gestured for Crysanthemum to lead the way. She bade her farewell to her Draenei companion, and the two began running towards the forest, seeking cover beneath the fel darkened sky.

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Authors Note: I hope you all enjoyed it, I will hopefully be updating it again with the next piece soon.

Note: Aeleria is prounounced Aye-leer-eeah

Ciao!


	2. Final Escape

Some time later, after having ran through the forest, long enough for a normal warrior's muscles to ache with entropy, Crysanthemum and the unnamed demon hunter stopped dead, listening intently to their surroundings.

"We're almost out of this forest." Crysanthemum said, her voice low, hands on her weapons. "But I sense something... foul."

"For someone not attuned to Demons you are fairly perceptive." The Demon Hunter replied, his glaives already in his hands. "We're... surrounded, persay."

Crysanthemum drew her weapons cautiously and held them out in a defensive stance. It was dark, and despite having superior night vision, she could not see any shapes of demons entering the area. However, her large ears did hear the wind seem to stop, and the deafening silence that echoed throughout the dead forest.

"Can you tell how many, Demon Hunter?" Crysanthemum asked, calculating to herself in her head how many she could take at a time. Hoping it was not more than twice that number.

"Hmm... I'd say close to one hundred total." Crysanthemum's metaphorical heart sank and she sighed.

"So fifty each."

"Yes, but I'd say you caught a nice break. At least half that number are imps and felhounds. The other half... not so much." He leered into the darkness, his impressive tattoos glowing sinisterly. Crysanthemum twirled her amethyst sword in her hand, awaiting more information from her unlikely comrade.

It would seem the demon's found no need to keep quiet. The element of surprise did not seem to interest them, and soon Crysanthemum could see their fel eyes and hulking shapes through the sillhouettes of the trees. She heard the excited cackling of the fel imps and the restless whines of the felhounds, rustling the chains of their handlers as they smelled flesh.

"Sounds like they want to eat you." The Demon Hunter whispered, nudging Crysanthemum with his leg. Crysanthemum scoffed but did not reply. Not even fel hounds would willingly consume frozen undead flesh such as hers.

"I'll take the south, you the north?" She wagered, twisting her mace as the bloodlust kicked in, the hunger for death slowly filling her vision.

"I thought you'd never ask." He replied, arming his glaives loftily against his chest.

The Demon Hunter's movement was graceful and quick. His prey was easily mowed down, if not by his speed, than by his sheer power, as he sliced through flesh, muscle and bone to behead, delimb, and destroy everything his glaives came into contact with. Crysanthemum admired the fluidity she lacked, hacking and bashing in skulls of demons, watching fel blood spatter into an arc through the air, her weapons soaked.

Crysanthemum neglected to keep count, but she assumed after about ten minutes of a non stop assault from all sides, most of the demon's had been thinned out, laying crumpled in heaps around them. All that remained were the hulking large shapes, dwarfing some of the smaller trees and blocking Crysanthemum's view of the moon.

"Lets be quick about this." Crysanthemum urged, grasping her mace and sword tightly. "Their numbers will be larger if we give them enough time to regroup." The demon hunter gave no verbal reply, rather nodding, affirming her statement, and charging at the tall felguard that hulked near the rear of the forest's edge.

These demons were not as easily cut down, the Death Knight noticed, as she dodged and parried hastily thrown blows. Unlike the felhounds and imps, these guards were sturdier, more brutish, and much angrier than the others. They swung at her ferociously, working in tandem with one another to overpower their prey. But Crysanthemum had one advantage they did not.

She was small.

She weaved inbetween their legs, releasing frost disease into their cuts and wounds, forcing them to stall to heal themselves or suffer loss of a limb. She did her best to give no oppurtunity for either option, and continued her relentless assault on the demons that surrounded her, carefully avoiding the axes and hammers that howled very close to her skin.

"Don't play with your food, Death Knight." Crysanthemum heard the Demon Hunter shout from across the clearing. "It's rude you know." The goblin rolled her eyes and pierced one of the felguard's directly through the eye, releasing a burst of frost energy, and watched as it crumpled into shattered pieces below its comrades feat. The remaining three felguards snarled and charged at her again, their fervor renewed and their strikes quicker, and more powerful than before.

"Tch, not good." Crysanthemum spat beneath her breath. "It would seem I made them... angrier."

Fatigue had no place in undeath, and even though she did not feel tired, she could feel the wear of battle on her armor, and on her slightly decayed bones. Too much hard fighting could cause her to dislocate an arm, or chip her armor, which would be costly fixes. Better to fight harder now and end it all, then to deal with the long term consequences later. This in mind, She swung her weapons with great fervor, taking care to be sure the finishing blows were indeed fatal.

"You're quite good at this." The Demon Hunter said, decapitating a rather stocky demon with ease. "Are you sure you're not a Demon Hunter?" Crysanthemum rolled her eyes and took a quick glance around, trying to figure out how many demons were left. By the looks of it, not many.

"Let's finish this." Crysanthemum said, Knocking back the final Felguard and looking up into the leering gaze of a rather brutish looking Eredar.

"Katra zil shukil, Anach kyree" It said, it's hooves causing the ground to tremble as he came forward. "Xeni Kirel Akoa kat'el!" The demon Hunter grimaced and Crysanthemum shot him a look.

"What did he say?" She asked, holding her weapons up defensively. The Demon Hunter chuckled.

"He was rather rude. Called us puny insects. Also, he wants to eat your heart. But we'll try to keep it from being too messy." But Crysanthemum was already done playing games with Demons. She was halfway to the Eredar and had her weapons trailing behind her as she charged the massive Draenei-like creature.

" EAT THIS." Crysanthemum shouted, plunging her sword into the Demon's leg, releasing a torrent of frost fever into its body. The eredar roared and kicked at her, attempting to rid himself of the nuissance.

The Blood elf was already providing back up, slicing his glaves quickly and expertly, doing as much damage as he could while the Eredar was distracted. But Crysanthemum was not wearing the proper gear to be taking hits that the Eredar would be doling out, she hoped she could dodge his blows, lest she meet her second end. The Eredar it would have seemed had a very short temper, and having missed his first prey, quickly turned to the Demon Hunter to attack him instead. Crysanthemum took that moment to steady herself, and continue the assault on him while his back was turned.

"Ake'heth Myknoa!" The Demon roared, its fists clenched and dark pulsing energy forming around them. "Shaza-kiel!" The Demon Hunter quickly dodged the energy, landing closely to his Death Knight comrade, and stared down the frustrated Demon.

"Now he's saying we're impudent fools, and we should surrender our souls." He translated. "As much as I'm enjoying this, we really do need to finish him off. Any suggestions?" Crysanthemum wracked her mind for a moment, coming up blank. However in the back of her mind, a small voice, almost a whisper, urged her to use her training in Blood to defeat the creature. She tried to shake it off but it remained insistant, gnawing at her being until finally-

"ALL RIGHT." She yelled aloud, shoving her weapons aside and pulling out a scroll. "I need you to distract him while I summon my weapon. Can you do that?" The Demon Hunter looked like he was about to ask a question, but quickly changed his mind, instead focusing his attention on the Eredar.

"Very well, Flower. I'll try to keep him off you." Crysanthemum began summoning her claymore, a sword dripping with Sha energy from Pandaria, something she'd grown quite fond of in her travels, though the voices that accompanied it, not much better than the Lich King. Upon feeling it in her hand she felt a strong sense of belonging again, and felt the blood-lust grown quickly beneath her fingers. She closed her eyes, focusing her energy to become in-tuned with her training for blood once more, feeling the hunger for death beginning to rush through her veins. She focused more, targeting the Eredar who was distracted by the Demon Hunter. She sensed his powerful energy, carefully steadied herself, and opened her eyes.

"You want to eat my heart, Demon?" She yelled out, raising her sword up in defiance. "Let's see if you can even get it." The Eredar snarled and turned to her, channeling another bout of shadow magic to throw at her. Crysanthemum summoned a bone shield and charged the Eredar, sinking her sword into his leg again, this time inflicting a blood plague that mingled with the frost fever in a twisted manner.

"Don't hold back now, I'll keep him attacking me!" Crysanthemum said, parrying a blow with her sword, which merely absorbed the attack. The Demon Hunter nodded, double jumping up to a height where he could reach the Demon's neck, an exposed portion that would prove to be the massive creature's undoing.

The Demon Hunter made quick work of the Demon, Demolishing whatever his glaives saw in their way, and ending the creatures time on Azeroth in a blinding vision of fel fire.

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence in the forest. Crysanthemum felt the bloodlust fade, but only just, sated by the creature's demise. Her sword too, felt sated, and she placed it down, meditating to rid herself of blood altogether.

"Is that how you change your specializations?" The Demon Hunter asked, breaking the silence. Crysanthemum hesitated to answer. It was really only how she changed between the two. She could never understand the teachings of Unholy, and even in her Undeath was still so repelled by the idea that it would not act under her command anyway.

"I suppose technically yes." Crysanthemum said, making her claymore disappear and re-attaching her sword and mace to her belt. "Though it isn't the right way." The Demon Hunter looked confused at this but made no comment.

"Well, our path should be clear from here." Crysanthemum said, looking up to the sky. "We should move on before we get any more unwelcome visitors." She studied the Blood Elf for a moment, realizing she had never asked him what his name was.

"What is your name?" She asked. The Demon Hunter raised an eyebrow, a smirk upon his face.

"Oh, Now you ask me." He said, nudging her shoulder. "I would have thought that question would have come up ages ago."

"Well forgive me, I've been dead quite some time. A little out of tune with customs, you could say." Crysanthemum replied dryly. The Demon Hunter laughed, his strange demon echo eerily copied behind it.

"Very well. I'll accept. My name is Dessicus." He said, holding out a hand to Crysanthemum. She stared at it for a moment, before taking it and shaking once, and reliquishing the grip.

"Just Dessicus?" She asked, her voice devoid of inflexion despite her curiousity. "No family name? Did they disown you?" Dessicus did not look amused however, and turned to kick the mutilated corpse of the Eredar before them.

"They're all dead, I presume." He said, his voice filled with anger. "At the Hands of the Burning Legion many, many years ago." His fists clenched and Crysanthemum could nearly feel his anger radiating from his body. "Mother, Father... Two sisters... Nothing but ash left in my home. Illidan Stormrage was the answer to the hatred that burned inside... I took the oppurtunity, and with it left all that was my home behind me." Crysanthemum noticed the finality in his tone and did not reply, choosing instead to begin walking. Dessicus quickly caught up however, walking at her gait in companionable silence.

"What about you, Flower? Do you have a family name?" Crysanthemum grumbled. Did this Demon Hunter love to hear his own voice?

"Hexknot." She replied shortly. "My father is an Engineer." Dessicus stroked his beard in thought.

"Siblings?" He asked curiously. Crysanthemum shot him a look that he didn't attempt to interpret, instead choosing to ignore it altogether. Crysanthemum sighed.

"Three sisters." She said. "Luckily for me, they're intact and safe... Well, in a manner of speaking." She thought of her sisters, their specific skillsets aiding them in the invasions that rattled Azeroth.

"They're who I fight for." She continued. Her eyes straight ahead. "I won't allow the Burning Legion to destroy what I've barely managed to salvage." Her hand dropped to her stomach, a reminder of her turn to the Lich King years prior. The scar had hardened over time, but it would always be there, reminding her that she had died. But hadn't stayed that way.

"You'll need that fighting spirit later." The Demon Hunter replied cryptically. "The Burning Legion will literally stop at nothing to destroy what has been created in Azeroth. Going as far as to destroy your family for a chance to break you down." Crysanthemum didn't answer, already knowing this to be so. Her head was wandering elsewhere, being lured to darker recesses of her mind.

" _You must take up the mantle._.." A voice, familiar and sending an involuntary chill down her spine, invaded her mind. " _Azeroth needs the Ebon Blade_... _you must retrieve the fallen prince's legacy_..." Crysanthemum stopped short. Was she... she was hearing the Lich King! She knew it! Bolvar Fordragon! But why? Why now?

"I have to go." Crysanthemum said suddenly, summoning her death gate. "Take this." She tossed a stone the size of an apple at the Demon Hunter. "It will take you to Orgrimmar. Find Our Warchief, Vol'jin, and let him know what you're there for. Good Luck." And without allowing him the oppurtunity to say goodbye, she quickly entered the gate, disappearing into Acherus's domain.

Crysanthemum looked around, seeking out the one person who was sure to know what hearing the Lich King's voice met. Luckily, the man was already waiting just outside the portal, seemingly knowing she would come there.

"I assume you've heard him?" Darion Morgraine said, His blood-red helm glinting in the garish light. Crysanthemum nodded, her posture tense.

"We can discuss it, but first... There is something you need to know." Crysanthemum felt a darkness in the pit of her stomach as she followed Morgraine to the center of the room, where an Orc Death Knight, one she'd only known briefly while training under Blood, lying in a dessecrated heap, bandages haphazardly thrown around him.

Morgraine nodded to the Orc, who took a quick glance at me, immediately sitting up, seething in pain. She moved closer, kneeling to meet his lips.

"Our Warchief... Vol'jin... Has died." Crysanthemum gasped involuntarily. The Horde's leader had died? How? Why? She nearly missed it when he continued. "The Banshee Queen... has taken over... as Warchief."

...

Dessicus tried to stay inconspicuous as he landed in the city, abuzz with low talk and sobbing citizens. Most were moving in a mass towards the front Gate, so he followed, curiously. Upon a pyre, laid a body, it's blue skin turning gray where the limbs began. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a tall woman, Elven, her pale skin garish in what could only be described as undeath, standing over the pyre motionlessly. Suddenly, she spoke.

"Vol'jin is dead." She said. Her voice sorrowful. "Who among you, will help me avenge him?" The roar of the crowd was nearly deafening. Dessicus could tell that He was now looking at the new Warchief of the Horde. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and was greeted with a Familiar face.

"Allari." He said, starting slightly. The elven woman narrowed her eyes.

"We are not alone." She said, her voice low. "The Horde will need us. It's time for us to come out of hiding."

...

 **Well, this has been a doozy. I'm glad to be done though. For now, This is all I'm going to write for this particular story. If you are still craving more, please see my other Warcraft story, Heroes rise and Fall. That story will eventually collide with this part, and continue on. Thank you for reading!**


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